xxx Lesson 11 The Writing Process Overview: This lesson will focus on the writing process and how it relates to communication. Learners will be taught what the writing process is, its parts, and how they can use it. Educational Goal: The goal of this lesson is for each learner to: 1. Comprehend the writing process 2. Respond positively to the writing process Objectives: Cognitive: Affective: The learner will: Define elements of the writing process Explain the writing process Outline a topic for a research paper Learners will contribute to the class discussion Skill Connection: This lesson has connections to the Tennessee KSA Writing and the EFF Skill Standard Convey Ideas in Writing. (Appendix II) Time: 1 Hour Materials: Learner Note Taker Convey Ideas in Writing Standard The Writing Process Logic Tree example and Hamburger story Logic Tree Form Teaching Strategy: Learners were introduced to the Communication Process on the first day of class. The writing process is the second lesson in the Learning Skills communication unit. Learners will continue to learn new strategies that help to clarify the importance of communication. Use the EFF Skill Standard, Convey Ideas in Writing. Give learners a copy of the EFF Skill Standard Convey Ideas In Writing (in Appendix I). Read the four components of the Standard with the learners. Link this lesson back to the previously taught Communication Process lesson. Clarify the objectives of the lesson for the learners. Learners will be asked to read each component of the writing process in order to learn the meaning of each step. Then they will be asked to focus on the plan step of the process. The planning step will begin a discussion on how they will brainstorm their research papers. Learners should begin thinking about a specific topic that they will write about for their research/presentation. Ask them to use the planning stage as a checkoff list for the homework. At the end of the lesson they should be able to summarize their learning by A C C E S S Family I N D E P E N D E N T A C T I O N STANDARD Convey Ideas in Writing Determine the purpose for communicating. Organize and present information to serve the purpose, context, and audience. Pay attention to conventions of English language usage, including grammar, spelling, and sentence structure, to minimize barriers to reader s comprehension. Seek feedback and revise to enhance the effectiveness of the communication. Citizen B R I D G E T O V O I C E Worker F U T H E T U R E 109
defining the purpose and meaning of the Writing Process and how they can use it. Conclude this lesson by assigning learners the planning stage of the writing process. Tell them to listen to their local or world news and be able to tell the main points and supporting details using the Logic Tree. This is an easy exercise for learners to do with their children. Lesson Plan Introduction Attention: Why do you think writing is important? (Listen to the learners and record their answers on the board. Depending on what they say, make the point that whether or not they write much now, at some point in their lives they will need good writing skills.) You will need good writing skills to pass the GED, apply for a job, get a job, and keep a job. Having good writing skills is not an option, it is vital if you are not going to be left out of the mainstream of society. Think of all the ways that you need to use writing. Even computers have made writing a critical skill, because you can communicate quickly and efficiently on e-mail if you can write. Motivation: Writing is a very important skill. Think what would happen if you needed to make a call but the telephone number was written incorrectly or you were going to pick up your child after school, but the address was not complete. Poor writing skills can cause problems, but learning to be an effective writer can help you avoid those problems. Overview: Question: Have you ever written a research paper or an essay? Question: If you were asked to write a paper, how many of you have a topic you would like to write about but don t know how to get started? Today we are going to learn some steps that you can always use to help you write a successful paper. I will be giving you two tools that you should file in your notebook and keep to refer to as you complete your education. One tool is the Writing Process and the second is the Logic Tree. The Writing Process breaks down the writing activity into easy steps. We will look at the Writing Process, discuss the steps, and discuss how we can use it. 110
The Logic Tree is an easy way to quickly outline your topic, main points, and sub-points. Once you have completed a Logic Tree you are ready to write. The Logic Tree is the first step in the writing process. It is the pre-write or plan. As we learn the writing process, remember: Writing is not a natural talent; writing skills can be learned. Writing takes practice and patience; with practice your skills will improve. Good writers follow a writing process. Even people who write for a living need time to think about their topic, what they want to say, and how they will say it. They will make many drafts before they have a finished product. Remember, no one can write a perfect paper without any preparation and several revisions. Body of Lesson Main Point 1: What Is the Writing Process? The Writing Process is a series of steps to help you write a paper. It is like using a map to get to an unfamiliar place. Give the learners the Writing Process and the Logic Tree (in Appendix I). The Writing Process has five steps. The Writing Process Lesson 11 Step 1: Pre-Writing. Begin by brainstorming ideas for topics, organizing an outline, and developing a plan. After you have selected a topic you can use the Logic Tree to outline your topic and prepare for Step 2. Step 2: Writing the First Draft. Using your Logic Tree, write a strong topic sentence. The topic sentence is a simple sentence that sets the stage and tells the reader about the subject. In the topic sentence you tell your audience what you are going to talk about. Next develop an introduction to the topic, your main points and supporting details, and write a concluding paragraph. Be sure to use facts, examples, and details to back up your sentence. Your main points will be several sentences that Writing Process 1. Pre-write = Plan Define your purpose, topic, and audience. Make a list of main ideas and supporting details. 2. Compose First (Rough) Draft Write a strong topic sentence and back it up with facts, examples, and details. Develop an introduction to the topic. Develop main points and supporting details. Develop a concluding paragraph. 3. Evaluate, Revise, and Edit Evaluate your writing to see if it meets your purpose, then revise your writing by rereading and making improvements edit your writing for content, style, and grammar read aloud to make sure it makes sense, and check to see if you left anything out. 4. Write Your Final Draft After editing and revising your work, prepare a final draft. Proofread the final version to make sure that you did not miss any errors, such as spelling, punctuation, and paragraph indentation. 5. Publish the Final Draft 297 111
Show the learner how the logic tree and the writing process work together. If they develop the logic tree they will have their main points and supporting details. support and give further explanation to your topic. When you write the concluding paragraph you are summarizing the main points in the body of the paper. Step 3: Evaluating, Revising, and Editing. Read your paper carefully. Many times people skip this step. When you begin to evaluate and edit your paper, change from the role of writer to the role of a critic. Try to examine your paper through the eyes of a reader who does not know anything about your topic. Have you explained everything fully? Have you included enough facts and examples for the reader to understand? Are there spelling errors? Read your paper out loud to make sure that it makes sense. After you have made improvements you may want to have someone else read your paper and make comments. When writing you may go through Step 3 several times before you are ready to write a final draft. Show learners where to write the main ideas. Give learners the hamburger example (in Appendix). Step 4: Write Your Final Draft. When you have corrected all errors including spelling, punctuation, and grammar, you are ready to write your final draft. When you have completed the final draft, proofread again to make sure you did not miss any errors, such as spelling, punctuation, and paragraph indention. Step 5: Publish the Final Draft. Present it. The Writing Process Lesson 11 Main Point 2: What Is the Logic Tree? The tree is a diagram that can help you to organize your thoughts. It can serve as a reminder of what you want to say in your writing. It helps you to organize your thoughts. It includes three main steps. Tell learners to look at the Logic Tree handout. Step 1: Topic and Thesis Statement. What you are writing about. This should be written on the first line. 300 Step 2: Main Ideas. The important points you want to include. 112
Step 3: Supporting Details. Specific examples that support your main ideas. The tree takes you from the general topic to specific details. Main Point 3: How We Will Use the Writing Process and the Logic Tree Use the sample tree of how to make a hamburger (in Appendix I) to demonstrate how to use the tree. Walk learners through the Logic Tree and the sample paper. Tell them that we will use these tools to write the paper and present it. Remind them that they can use these tools throughout their education journey, with their children and in their jobs. Conclusion Summary: Today you have learned about two new tools that can help you be a successful writer. You will begin using the Writing Process and the Logic Tree to create your papers. Ask learners if they have any questions or concerns. Assure them that we will take it step by step and work on the paper together. After you have worked with the process you should begin to see how the tools are helpful. Re-Motivation: Writing is very important in our everyday lives. Now you have some tools for your toolbox that will help you not only in your school experience but also in your everyday life. Remember, poor writing skills can cause problems and good writing skills can help you avoid those problems. Using these tools will help you write without fear. (Ask the learners how they feel about writing their paper. Listen carefully for their comments and reassure them if needed.) Review the lesson with class. Ask learners to explain the writing process and demonstrate how they can use the tree. Review the lesson with class. Ask learners to explain the writing process and demonstrate how they can use the tree. Homework Homework Assignment: Watch the world news. Close: The next step is for you to begin the process. Tonight your homework is to choose a topic and complete the first step of the process. What will you do first? (Learners should indicate that they will use the Logic Tree to outline their topic. Tell learners to bring their outlines to class tomorrow if they have questions. Learners tend to put this step off or to rush through the plan stage. Tell them that they have the rest of the week to work on this stage. The planning stage is the most important step because it is the foundation of the writing process. Encourage learners to bring their outline and drafts in to discuss with you until they are ready to write their final draft.) 113